


The Curse

by cypherd



Category: Shall We Date?: Obey Me!
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-18
Updated: 2020-09-17
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:54:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,718
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26520100
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cypherd/pseuds/cypherd
Summary: When a curse meant for Siemon manages to get into a different angel's hands, Beel and Winter go on a quest for a cure to human ness.
Relationships: Beelzebub (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 2





	The Curse

Satan was just intrigued to find out that the call that had disturbed his reading (and received a very frustrated ‘shhh’ from the RAD Librarian, much to his ire) was coming from Winter. The Angel was around Beel and occasionally Mammon and though he was respectful of her classroom ranking - mostly since it never came close to damaging his - he suspected the reason for calling was actually needing some advice.

So he left his books at the carousel and stepped out into the hall before it went to voicemail.

“Winter? What do I owe the pleasure of this call?” The cheer in the tone was a little false, but also he couldn’t deny his interest. She’d never sought him personally out before.

“Hello. I would have texted but something’s come up. We received an anonymous box at Purgatory Hall. There was magic all over this thing and I was about to bring it to Solomon when I noticed the tag was for Simeon. The only mail he ever gets is from his editor.” 

“So...since his editor would leave a name, I take it you opened it?” Satan guessed wisely.

“I don’t know what possessed me...something about the box felt off. I’m glad I did because it was clearly some kind of a prank. A whole lot of dust and powder came out. It was sort of...black. But, here I am, perfectly fine. Not to mention the powder disappeared right after. Didn’t even have to clean anything up.”

Even though Winter couldn’t see him over the phone, Satan’s eyebrows shot up. “If it is a prank it sounds like a pretty lame one. I’ve never heard of just an exploding box of black powder. Especially not one that disappears. After all, if it was meant to be a prank, it should have at least created a mess. Maybe someone made a mistake on a cursed item.” 

“Really? Well since there seem to be no side effects, I’ll just throw it away.”

If there was one thing Satan couldn’t resist, it was a mystery. “Wait. Wait. Bring it over here and I’ll take a look. Maybe there’s some magical signature left on it, or residue. Could tell what you’re dealing with.”

“Thanks. I’ll be over. I was going to come see Beel anyway.”

The Angel met Satan at the door to the House of Lamentation and as far as he could tell, she was completely unharmed, looking no different than usual. “Can I look at your wings? Maybe take a feather? There might be some left on you.”

“Ooof...alright.” She agreed. 

“I’m sorry about this.” He said mechanically, grasping one and pulled, raising an eyebrow at her pained expression and watering eyes. “This is what you’re in pain about? Surely those neanderthals you call teammates have done worse.” 

“Hey, one localized feather is a lot more touchy than a full area. But alright. It’s over now. Here’s the box.”

Indeed, the box was a nondescript cardboard affair, but Winter was right. Demon magic had been placed on the box, a lingering signature floated after it.

“I’m going to go do some research. You can go see Beel if you want. Maybe not mention the feather.” 

“Let’s not. Text me if you find anything else or want my help.” 

He watched her go, but still nothing seemed amiss.

“Hm.” Could be a mislaid prank after all. If nothing else, finding out who did it and then telling Beel could be entertaining to watch.

As it turned up, the ‘sleepover with the Avatar of Gluttony turned out to be almost exactly that. Winter started yawning early and by the time Beel came back from his snack run, she was fast asleep. 

He gave a shrug and settled in beside her. Belphie still was better at naps, but the angel was never an unwelcome presence. 

***

Beezlebub woke to the sound of water running and an odd sort of scent in the room he couldn’t quite place. It smelled like...well, food, something incredibly familiar, but maybe something he hadn’t eaten in a while? Something he didn’t like anymore? No. It smelled good, anyway, but what was it? 

Still, after a second the sound of water stopped and the door opened. Winter’s hair wasn’t even wet.

“Beel I feel...funny. Sort of...light and sluggish at the same time.”

Beel could be a little dense over certain things, especially when he was preoccupied with food that might be nearby, but he could see one VERY glaring difference right away. “What happened to your wings?”

Winter turned in a circle, almost like a dog trying to chase its tail, which would have been funny if things weren’t so odd.

“I don’t understand.. I’ve always had…” she stumbled in her sudden dizziness and right into Beel. “You feel like titanium suddenly.” 

She pressed at him, unable to budge him. “I feel...weak.. But not sick. I can’t even move you. It’s like all my strength’s been sapped.”

Both realized the situation at exactly the same time. “

“I just realized what you smell like.” Beel said slowly, looking guilty, just as Winter gasped. “I know what that powder did to me.” 

“I’m human?”

“Powder?”

“It was in a box. It was meant for Siemon, but I opened it thinking it was cursed. Satan has it now, but…” she looked at her DDD. Silent. “Turns out I was more right than I thought, but it didn’t kick in right away.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“ I felt fine until this morning! I thought it was a silly prank box, so I didn’t mention it. I wasn’t even going to bother giving it to Satan, but he seemed interested in playing detective. Other than that, I need to get back to Purgatory Hall right away. As the current problem is I am a human, alone and without pacts in the House of Lamentation. And who knows how that’ll go over if anyone discovers me before I can get a word in edgewise.”

“Maybe I should ---”

“Go. Act normal. I’ll tell Solomon,”

Beel glanced at her. “If you want a pact, I can offer you mine.”

Winter shook her head and gave him a slightly watery smile. “You’re sweet to offer like that, but...no. Who knows what kind of effect that might have if this thing wears off or there’s a cure.”

“What if there’s no cure? Can’t you reconsider because this - this is starting to feel like Lilith all over again and I really couldn’t---” 

Winter rushed to reassure him. “It’s different. What happened to Lilith was to save her life while she was gravely injured and I’m neither bleeding out nor in immediate danger of dying, plus I have a say in the matter. I’m still me, so I’m --”

“Going to have to start being scared. You’re brave and I get it. I like that about you. But as you yourself have seen, you’re a human and you have the limitations of one, so you’re going to think like one. Please promise me. PLEASE that if you’re in trouble, run and you make a pact. Or do what it takes. I would rather see you pact with Mammon than end up dead.” 

“Alright. Come on, I can do this. Just need to rethink my strategy.”

“Tell Solomon that right after breakfast I’ll be bringing you personally to Purgatory Hall….and stay in the bathroom instead, take a shower. Use my things. Wear my clothes. Get the smell of human off you, I can only hide that so long. I’ll try to bring you something to eat.” 

“Do you think I should tell MC, maybe?”

“No. I don’t think so. I want to keep the group of people who know about this relatively small.”

“Are you going to hide it from Belphie too?” Winter asked him, surprised. 

A pained look crossed his face. “....for now..” 

Winter sighed. “I’m not even human for an hour and I’m already a burden. Geez.” 

Beel shook his head. “You’re not. Human or Angel you’re always worth it.” He picked her up like a doll and gave her a hug. “Can’t believe how delicate you are now.”

She sighed and put her head against his shoulder. “Thanks…I think.”

When Beel reappeared, a covered plate to hand, Winter was dressed, drowning in Beel’s enormous clothing. For a disguise it was fairly sad, but it should get them from the House of Lamentation to Purgatory Hall.

“This too.” he shrugged off his jacket and placed it over her shoulders. “Come on, this way.” 

As they turned out into the Devildom, Beel closed his eyes as his worst fears were immediately realized. A group of his teammates were coming up the way, and waved him over.

“Yo, Beel! What--...Oh. It’s Winter. You seem...different.”

Their eyes narrowed, their expressions working through the muddled confusion. Winter had never been quite welcome in their ranks but they’d always known she could more than take care of herself. In fact, had she been a demon instead, who knew who might still have limbs attached for teasing her. On top of it, on the Fangol team, Beel’s word was law. Now however defanged and in need of his actual protection,, this situation needed to stop as quickly as possible.

“I’m feeling...unwell. Beel is taking me to Purgatory Hall.” She said firmly, turning to him, “I think we should fly there? Perhaps now?”

“Good idea.” She allowed the demon to transform and they were gone in a flash, just in time to hear one of the others speak up.

“...guess she must be sick if she can’t fly herself.” 

***

“You say it was a black powder?” 

“Meant for...me?” Simeon was looking down at Winter, giving her an inspection. Her shoulders twitched involuntarily every so once in awhile as though searching for the appendages that were no longer there. 

“Would it have even worked though?”

“Likely.” Solomon mused. “I’d have to look into some research but frankly if they made a go for Simeon, they were planning on it being effective. The cure’s not going to be easy or fun, either..There’s all sorts of tricks and tips with high level spells and potions.” 

Winter felt a stab of something at the possibly-not-a-dig-possibly-an-innocently-insensitive-comment on her power, or lack thereof beside her angel superior. “Blood?”

“Oh there might be...but that’s child’s play. Anything worth having from demons requires souls and blood at least without natural magic.Or having at least something the demon vitally wants.” This time there was a note of bitterness in Solomon’s voice and everyone present could guess why, given how even with his 72 pacts he’d never quite managed to parse out what might net him the remaining Demon Lords while MC had waltzed in with nothing and had them all. Uncharacteristically viciously of her, Winter wondered what he’d say if he knew Beel had offered up his pact without a second thought earlier that same morning. “No, usually with something of this...potential magnitude you’re looking at possible artifacts, something dangerous you might have to get yourself. You couldn’t for example, send one of us. You might need something from the intended target.” 

Winter’s mouth set into a grim line. “And clearly, doing so will be a lot harder.like this of course, which is the point.”

Solomon nodded. “Precisely.” 

“What about...if I just...remained a normal human? Found a way to get to the human realm, live a decent life?”

There was a long silence, broken only by the sounds of Beel working on Winter’s untouched plate from the morning. 

“We all know you’re not going to do that, are you? You’ll risk it on the big crazy cure,”

Winter bobbed her head, agreeing. “Sounds like me.”

“What about the other elephant in the room. If someone meant to hurt me, I can only guess their goal was to hurt the exchange program. I suspect that someone should inform the Demon Prince?”

Winter frowned. “I suppose that would be best. However you also need to keep up appearances. Be safe but make sure everyone sees you walking around just fine. I had the same thought which is why we wanted to keep the numbers of who knew about this low.” 

“So I guess we all have our assignments then.” Solomon shook his head. “I’ll find out how to reverse this, Simeon will have to bring up the situation with Lord Diavolo.” 

“I’ll be in my room. You know, since I’m not feeling ‘myself;” Winter tried for some levity. “And Beel thank you for---”

“Wait.” he grabbed her hand and caught himself just in time to adjust his grip for the one he used with MC. “You’re not doing whatever it is alone. I’ll protect you.”

Winter glanced at Solomon who didn’t appear ready to offer any criticisms to this plan. “Okay Beel. Thank you.” 

***  
Beel was not an accomplished liar, but Solomon had taken care of spinning the “Winter’s sick” tale to the apparent satisfaction of the remaining RAD scholars and staff. The Avatar of Gluttony had just gone with the ‘...not feeling herself’ wording. 

“...and you might be taking Winter on a little holiday to feel better, isn’t that right?”

Beel nodded, feeling especially lucky that Belphie was nowhere in the immediate vicinity. 

That one had gone over like a lead balloon with the Fangol team, but he knew those demons well enough not to suspect them of anything. They might know some curses but not much that wasn’t legal enough to perform during a game situation.

No, Beel was more concerned about his family becoming targets. MC was always a target but what bothered him was that Winter - who like himself was certainly strong enough to physically defend herself was (had been?) magically weak compared to Siemon. Why not her - or Luke? No, whoever it was went for the biggest, scariest (objectively) protector.

Siemon was a test run. But who did they really want? Possibly Diavolo. Possibly one - or all - of his brothers.

He’d seen this kind of power move before and he didn’t like it at all. Who knew what the Celestial Realm would say if another angel got themselves damaged on Diavolo’s watch. 

Winter had refused his pact, he wasn’t obligated to -do- anything. Yet maybe it really was better to let the attacker think their plan had failed. Let them wonder who might be coming for them for their failure.

But he didn’t have to like it. 

Nor did this cure quest idea sit well. But that again, he had no control over. It was feeling like Lilith again, but he knew his friend and she would never be happy with a life as a human. Not without trying. But he didn’t know what he’d do with himself if he managed to fail in his protector role a second time 

***

Winter’s DDD pinged

“Hey ur sick? You missed a hilarious day - Satan put a chocolate cupcake on Lucifer’s chair and Beel got pissed off - think u know why.”

“Uh. Wasting food right?”

“Yeah. apparently Simeon’s bringing you your homework. He got super weird about it when I said I’d do it. How sick are you?”

“Definitely out of sorts. Probably for the best you don’t come over. 

“Does this illness require you to not have wings anymore? Or that you start lying? I mean not that i’m against lyin’ but it seems weird for an angel I know doesn’t.”

Winter raised her head to look at her window and the silver haired demon perched there. 

“...oh.” 

“Yeah, oh.” Winter opened the window and Mammon swung himself inside. “I ain’t told anyone else. But whatever you’re doing with Beel you’d better do soon ‘cause Lucifer’ll KNOW. Just saying.”

“I know.” Winter sighed. “And...I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. But I’ll get this fixed.”

“Yeah I figured.. But you shoulda picked me. I mean I have experience in the human guarding game.’

“You’d complain the whole time. Just focus on MC. Beel and I will be fine.” 

“Well if you two don’t figure it out, then I’ll be waitin’ to pact.”

“...I really should tease Solomon about this.”

“Huh?”

“Sorry Mammon you weren’t my first offer. You’ll have to be content with MC.”


End file.
